SHAKE*YOUR*SHORES

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Submitted for the approval of the Mix Tape Appreciation Society, here lies "Mid West Music Fest (a primer)," another sweet compilation curated by Matthew R. Perrine. Inspired by this year's phenomenal lineup at the Mid West Music Fest in Winona, Minn., I decided to make an entire mix tape comprised only of songs by artists who will be appearing at the festival this year. (Get all the relevant information for this weekend of music -- which runs April 19-21 -- at www.midwestmusicfest.org.)As always, enjoy this and all coming editions of "Toy Boat!" at maximum volume.

1. Ruben - "Wasting Time"

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://ruben.bandcamp.com/track/wasting-time"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Wasting Time by Ruben&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

2. Maudlin - "Dancecaster"

Raised on a steady diet of the Pixies (and every other Frank Black or Kim Deal side project, for that matter), you best believe that this group’s twin vocalists, David and Priscilla Priebe, know a thing or two about post-punk and slightly off-kilter power pop.

3. Chris Koza - "Crowded Bed"

City Pages calls Koza's solo stuff "brainy folk-pop." (He's also in the excellent Rogue Valley -- see below.) What this one sounds like to me is a laidback Black Crowes song played by Mason Jennings' band -- and "cherried" with some exquisite P.J. Olsson whistling. Whatever it is, it's good.

4. Tapes 'n Tapes - "Insistor"

These buzzed-about indie rockers don't need any introductions.

5. Midwest Dilemma - "Chicago and North Western"

This Omaha export was quick to win over Americana-leaning fans with the gigantic-in-scope “Timelines & Tragedies” album, which found inspiration in the family lineage of frontman Justin P. Lamoureux — all the way back to the days of fur trading, no less.

6. Kimya Dawson - "Tire Swing"

Yes, the Kimya Dawson who got her 15 minutes with the peachy "Juno" soundtrack (and who will be guesting on the just-announced "Skelethon," Aesop Rock's long-awaited next solo album that will drop on July 10 on Rhymesayers) will be playing in little ol' Winona!

7. Porcupine - "So Far So Good"

La Crosse indie rock at its finest. Damn, this is some good stuff.

8. Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons - "Longer Time at Sea"

If you like your rock epic in scope, look no further than this personal favorite.

9. Toki Wright - "Next Best Thing"

This infectious little hip-hop tune includes these memorable lines: "I read a article that said I'm a hype man / I ain't a hype man; f-----, I'm a live band." Then he goes on to rhyme "catheter" with "Africa." Awesome.

10. Charlie Parr - "Asa Jones' Blues"

One of my first interviews for the Duluth Budgeteer News was with one Charlie Parr. A highlight from the way-back machine (summer 2006): “We love it here in Duluth,” he said, “and we ain’t leaving. ... I’m happy to be a part of this place and the music made here.”

11. The 4onthefloor - "On Tuesdays"

A catchy footstomper about -- What else? -- getting drunk on Tuesdays.

12. Wake Up Bedhead - "Crystal Ball"

13. Def Gone Graphic - "Beware"

14. Apollo Cobra - "Rough"

Paired with the right vocalist (Thao, perhaps?), this would be quite a formidable force on the dancefloor.

15. The Melismatics - "The Hard Way"

A straight-up rock song I've listened to entirely too much in the few years it's been around.

Ed Ackerson is a golden god. Spend just a few minutes with this alternative-never-died band and you'll hear why. Fans of Ash's amp-melting sonic assault (more so in the early days) will find much to gush over here.

Written (and/or recorded) while the group was hungover? Hard to tell. Either way, this one will get under your skin. (On a somewhat-related note, does anyone else think frontman Matt Pudas sounds eerily similar to Ed Helms?)

22. The Mages - "Inauguration Day"

Veterans of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's 24 Hour Project, the friendly members of the Mages have music in their bloodstreams: “Through our entire lives, the common thread is that we’ve all always been involved with music, in one way or another,” Amy O'Connor told me back in 2010. “The boys were in high school band, and I was in high school choir. And, as children, we were all involved in music and had very musical households.”

23. Yester - "A Wishing Well"

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://yester.bandcamp.com/track/a-wishing-well"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;A Wishing Well by Yester&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Submitted for the approval of the Mix Tape Appreciation Society, here lies "Appear Calm, Remain Paranoid," another sweet compilation curated by Matthew R. Perrine. As always, enjoy this and all coming editions at maximum volume.

1. Suckers - "Save Your Love for Me"

One of the most gorgeous things I've heard in the past decade. To set the scene, I was reclining in my video rocker (most likely nerding out to "Battlefield 3") when it started to snow outside. Since it hasn't really been a "white winter" in La Crosse this year, the heavy flakes falling outside my window took me aback. Coupled with this captivating song, I was mesmerized.

2. Sleigh Bells - "Comeback Kid"

Man, what an exciting song -- truly one of the most worthwhile "Saturday Night Live" performances in recent memory.

Music doesn't get much more beautiful than this. It's a little overpowering, actually.

5. Someone Still Loves You Borin Yeltsin - "Oregon Girl"

Never say Polyvinyl never did anything for you: This and many other great tracks are available on this free label sampler from Amazon.

6. The Office - "Had a Visit"

Chicago rock mania.

7. Sharon Van Etten - "Serpents"

With an album title like "Tramp," it's hard not to notice this up-and-coming chanteuse. (By the way, this will be a great one for those upcoming summer mix tapes -- keep it in mind!)

8. David Bazan - "How I Remember"

I listen to this song entirely too much.

9. Django Django - "Default"

Endearingly goofy, this track always puts a smile on my face.

10. Pieta Brown - "Be with You"

Pieta is the whole reason I got back into writing about music. I had the pleasure of interviewing her back in 2010 for the Duluth Budgeteer News -- where she said such memorable things as "Music has a way of finding you" -- so, when I saw she was coming to La Crosse next month (to play at the Root Note), I jumped on the opportunity to interview her again. And her new material is just as invigorating as the road-tested material we've enjoyed for the better part of a decade.

Caution: This song will rattle around in your brain for days. No joke. It's catchy ... maybe a little too catchy. (LOL)

12. Grandaddy - "Pull the Curtains"

"Pull the curtains on the night / Sometimes it isn't worth the fight." The sun-drenched equivalent of Soundgarden's "The Day I Tried to Live"?

13. La Sera - "Break My Heart"

She will already has.

14. Dawes - "Time Spent in Los Angeles"

Too bad this wasn't written back in the early '70s. It would've fit in fine on the "Almost Famous" soundtrack.

15. Elizabeth and the Catapult - "Taller Children"

A surprisingly insightful way to look at adult life: "We're all just taller children." So true.

16. The Get Up Kids - "Martyr Me"

Rock me, Kansas. Or is it "Rock me, Missouri"?

17. Alva Star - "Victorian"

John(ny) Hermanson is another musical mastermind I've had the pleasure of interviewing. When I spoke to him back in '09, he blamed (credited?) his varied musical adventures -- Storyhill, Alva Star, the (Olympic) Hopefuls, et al. -- on the fact that he's "always been a bit schizophrenic." This explosive track finds the Montana native mastering alternative rock. It's a glorious thing to behold.

From his latest mix tape, "Reports from the Field: In the Trenches," which you can download here for free.

19. Skrillex - "Right on Time"

Sure, all the kids at Hot Topic dig this modern-day Richard D. James, but fans of "Block Rockin' Beats"-era Chemical Brothers will find much to love here.

20. Rory Allen Phillips - "Swimming While Sleeping"

This head-in-the-clouds instrumental from the genius behind the Impossibles and Slowreader will have you repeating a new mantra: "I'm on a beach. I'm on a beach." Get it while you can. And remember, kids: END PROHIBITION.

21. Jay Reatard - "It Ain't Gonna Save Me"

Never has a quote so encapsulated my life: "Everything I do is motivated by the fear of running out of time." It appears as if the late Jay Reatard and I were kindred spirits.

22. Robyn - "Dancing on My Own"

I laughed when the great Superstar DJ Walt Dizzo told me Robyn -- yes, that Robyn -- was making great records. Boy, did I feel like a fool when I actually picked one up. Needless to say, now I am hooked on this Swedish pop s---!

23. Bracket - "Talk Show"

This bouncy ska-punk number is long a staple of my myriad mix tape series -- which include, but are definitely not limited to, Don't Tell a Soul, couleehighharmony, shake*your*shores and Fly High, Duluth!

24. Nada Surf - "Teenage Dreams"

Wow, these guys are still going strong. I mean, I remember listening to "Popular" in my cousin Cale's bedroom before we were teenagers!

Per usual, I'd like to take this opportunity to encourage you to seek out the aforementioned tracks and, again, listen to them AT MAXIMUM VOLUME. I recommend Koss headphones. Not to totally cop from the Wisconsin (Viva Milwaukee!)company's website, but *ahem* there is an emotional thrill when you're "enclosed in the music."

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Submitted for the approval of the Mix Tape Appreciation Society, here lies "... At Least it was Random," another sweet compilation curated by Matthew R. Perrine. As always, enjoy this and all coming editions at maximum volume.

This one goes out to my buddy Shannon in Rochester. It's nice to know someone else hears the brilliance in this particular song.

4. Weezer - "Getchoo"

I never really fancied myself a "lyrics guy," but sometimes they just hit you: "This is beginning to hurt / This is beginning to be serious / It used to be a game...."

5. Everclear - "You Make Me Feel Like a Whore"

And again: "I hate the way I am around you / I'm so nervous and weird / Sometimes I feel like I'm breathing underwater."

6. Cloud Cult - "Pretty Voice"

Rest in peace, ______.

7. Electric Light Orchestra - "On the Run"

Wish I was ... there's a new goal in my life (and this is as accurately as I can describe it): spend a significant amount of time in each of the 50 states. (Can probably be crossed off already: Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Florida, Colorado, Wyoming....)

The ultimate happy-go-lucky kiss-off violent imagery? "I'm going to throw you in the ocean / Throw you in the ocean / Throw you in the ocean / And see if you swim." #idigsubtlety

23. Dealership - "TV Heart"

This one reminds me about my theory about the afterlife. But ... nope. Probably shouldn't share that on a blog!

24. John Davis - "Watch Me Walk Away"

If you like Superdrag, chances are A) you'll totally dig this track from the group's lead singer, mainly because B) you probably won't be able to tell you're not listening to Superdrag. (Also: Foo Fighters fans will find lots to love here.)

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Submitted for the approval of the Mix Tape Appreciation Society, here lies "With the Church Window Transoms Open," another sweet compilation curated by Matthew R. Perrine. Per usual, enjoy this and all coming editions at maximum volume.

This duo kicked off all my radio "programmes" in college. NDSU of yore, consider your fine faces rocked off indefinitely.

3. Atmosphere - "Hair"

"See, bands like us don't get groupies...."

4. Beastie Boys - "Make Some Noise"

Enjoy:

5. The Dears - "Blood"

I like these guys quite a bit, but I recently realized I know exactly nothing about them. So ... let's remedy that: The Dears hail from Montreal. They consider themselves an "art rock band." They don't play a lot of shows. And, finally, at one point in their career, NME dubbed them "probably the best new band in the world." Not too shabby.

6. Bon Iver - "Holocene"

For once, you can believe all the hype. (By the way, it's still crazy to think that Justin Vernon lives just up the highway in Eau Claire.)

7. Big Boi - "Tangerine"

As weird as it sounds, one of my favorite memories is traveling (during my NDSU radio days, actually) to Spokane, Wash., via Amtrak and listening to OutKast's "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below" just about the whole way there. Needless to say, it's nice to hear at least one of the group's members back at the top of his game.

8. Psalm One feat. Longshot - "Lemme Know"

Can't get enough of this Chicago MC. (As you can probably tell....)

9. Damone - "Up to You"

Did I mention I'm a girl? ha ha ha

10. High Speed Scene - "Assingear"

Fargo. Rock. City.

11. The Danburrys - "Thumbs Up (aka Heads Down Thumbs Up)"

Before the great Drew Danburry went it alone, he was in this Weezer-riffic rock group. So exhilarating!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Submitted for the approval of the Mix Tape Appreciation Society, here lies "Tell Us About It, Janet," another sweet compilation curated by Matthew R. Perrine. Per usual, enjoy this and all coming editions at maximum volume.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Submitted for the approval of the Mix Tape Appreciation Society, here lies "Buying Ink by the Barrel," another sweet compilation curated by Matthew R. Perrine. Per usual, enjoy this and all coming editions at maximum volume.

From the "Portal 2" soundtrack, one of the most enjoyably guttural electronic-death anthems ever assembled.

9. Two Hand Fools - "Green Light Go"

You can't beat that intro. (Just try.)

10. The Future Kings of Nowhere - "C is for Heartache"

A modern-day "Sunspot Baby"?

11. Aqueduct - "Hardcore Days and Softcore Nights"

What do you know ... the song that has made more appearances on my hundreds of awesome (my word) mix tapes than any other. Besides the musical quality, one reason for this is definitely "Don't ever ask me where I'm from / In six states that's considered dumb." B.A. to the end.

If you're luck enough to have access to Sirius or XM satellite radio, no doubt you've heard the hilarious Kenny Z. on Cosmo Radio's "Wake Up with Taylor" morning show. He's a stand-up comedian who also happens to make fake rap songs that are eerily reminiscent of the late Eyedea.

Another mix tape "hall of famer." Listen to understand. (Discovered this song while "babysitting" my best friend's wife at the Pawn America in Duluth ... and that statement sounds even stranger in print.)

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Submitted for the approval of the Mix Tape Appreciation Society, here lies "couleehighharmony2," another sweet compilation curated by Matthew R. Perrine. Per usual, enjoy this and all coming editions at maximum volume. (Not that anyone cares, but, just to get this one out the door, I opted to play "word association" rather than write anything meaningful to anyone. My apologies in advance....)